Shock absorbeb



May 15, 1923.

D, E. D. BLAKE SHOCK ABSQRBER Filed Feb. 9, 19;'1 2 sheets-sheet 1 WITNESS/5S /NVENTH -m# Q5@ Ear/KE May 15, i923. 1,455,743

m E. D. ELAKE SHOCK ABSORBER Filed Feb. 1921 2 Sheng-sheet 2 vll if? NI/ENTR ,f4/A9 54 BVM l Amm/vers Patented May 15, 1923.

UNITED STATES DENNIS B. D. BLAKE, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

Application filed' February 9, 1921.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DENNIS B. D. BLAKE, a Citizen of the United States, and a resident of Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Shock Absorber, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to shock absorbers, and has particular reference to a new and improved shock absorber applicable to automobiles.

An object of the invention is the provi` sion of a shock absorber` employing a flexible band connecting a portion of the chassis with the body of an automobile, and comprises the provision of means whereby -the flexible band is always kept under a mm1- mum tension to prevent the formation of slack portions.

Another object is the provision of means in the shock absorber whereby the rebound of the body of the car from the chassis is substantially soft or reduced by frictionbraking means within the absorber' acting on the band.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of adjustable mechanism whereby the degree of application of the friction brake can be regulated as desired.

A still further object of the invention resides in the particular construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The invention in general comprises a flexible band extending from the chassis to the body of an automobile, and this band, as disposed in connection with the body, is Wound in a coil on a suitable support. To this support a resilient member, such as a spring, is Connected which tends always to keep the slack out of the flexible band. This band is disposed within a suitable casing, which may be attached to the body of the automobile. A friction-brake member is disposed within the casing through and between a portion of the length of the layers of the flexible material, and this braking or friction tongue is connected at one end rigidly to the casing; the remaining portion lying along and between adjacent layers of the flexible band creates friction therebetween When the band moves relative to the braking member. This tongue provides friction-retarding means disposed through- Serial No. 443,606.

out the length and between adjacent layers of the band, tending to direct the movement the band and, consequently the movement of 'the body of the car in the desired direction and which is preferably in a direction away from the chassis on the rebound.

The invention is shown in the drawings, of which- Figure l is a sectional view taken on the line l-l. of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a front view of the shock absorber;

Figure lis a detail of one of the adjustable clutch 'jaws within the device; and

Figure 5 is a perspective enlarged detail of the friction tongue or braking member.

The preferred embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the drawings comprises a circular baseplate l having an upturned annular flange 2 thereon which may be applied to the body portion, such as 3, of an automobile, or other part, the movement of which with respect to another element is to be regulated and controlled. In the center of this baseplate l is a spindle 4L projecting outwardly at right angles thereto. Disposed around this spindle or stub shaft 4- there is a drum This drum 5 is provided with an outwardly extending flange portion 6 and a similarly extending flange portion 7. These flange portions are spaced apa-rt and form therebetween a groove in the shape of an annulus. This drum is loosely mounted on the spindle 4i and can rotate therearound.

As shown particularly in Figure l, the flange portion 7 is split and formed with adjacent end portions 8 and 9. To the end portion 9 a metallic link l() is connected. To this link l0, in any suitable manner, the end 1l of a band of flexible belting of any suitable length and material is connected. This belting is preferably of woven cotton, which may be impregnated with oil and. graphite to prevent squeaking. This belt or band Yll is wrapped around the drum 5 in a counterclockwise direction.

A cover l2 of any suitable material, such as sheet metal, is disposed over the mechanism and may be connected at its inner end with the flange portion 2. This cover is broken away and has rounded corners, such as 13 and 14:, spaced apart and providing an opening through which the end 15 of the flexible band extends. This end 15 is is ob 'v loue the bosepl :ite

f1 e bolt 26 iff :itle'gtetl to extend. etween the heeel ogt the bolt 9,6 intl the outer 'fece 28 olf the tension not 22 e Washer 27 .is tliooosell,

The tension not hollow interiorly intl yeuri'oonde the end oi" the Spindle and tl flange (i on tl o drinn 5. rhe inner ieee thereof, adjacent the enfl o1? the spindle fl, 1s pr' 'l et 2t with ehiteh iews or 'zicee similari' to the jews 23 above nioiitioneil rlheee Cooperating elett-,h jews enable the tension nut 22 to be liimlly oofzsitionetl 'wf respeot to the eoiollle Il, who iy the tension of the ssijiring 20 ezio. he adjusted. The not 22 een be holtl iii any (leeirell petition by tightening up the bolt or oep screw 2G. that when the efteling ie :itteoheal t0 the liizime oil :in mitoomliil-e :nifl the eml oi the belt .le attached to o, i esile, any Vert-lool moveinen ot tl eide or 'ironie n ill renee :t rotzitiilg movement olf the tlrlini 5 :intl u, correspon-ling peripheriil movement olf the oeils oi the belting ll. le the obesi-:ie zinll the body ot the ein' seyn-nte, the beltiitigor band is pullot out, und in Se (loing 'the Spring() wound. up. This; elongation oil? the belt takes platee against the action oil the spring 2O and, therefore, when the Atoiee tending to element-e the bontl ie rel ieeetl, the spring iniinmlotely#exerts its eoniproeeive "torce against the belt to holtl it tout z1`n l prevent the 'toi :tion therein of any eli The outer toco et elif.

the top screw or bolt 2G is provided with o., threaded "bote 30 into which n grease oop muy be introchioeil. This bore is connected by e posseggo ffl'V Awith ln brioating ijizissngee 32 connecting with the inni/r ein-fece oi tle drinn 5 whereby the movement of the ilrnni 5 on the Spindle 4lif; continued with the minimum amount oi' friction.`

lWith particular reference to Figure 8, it will be notetl 'that the ooi/er portion l2, enel it is. iintlers'ooil that the bi eeplefto l :is Well1 ie provided with a eeriie ot slotted holo?,y elieh as -which ere arranged on r1` rallies :i little larger then the insitle refliue oi the outer coil olf belting, The he in the zover l2 and the beseplete l ere eiinilziir onli disposed oori'espontlingly. lin ooireooonding pairs of the holes in the cover tintl enohor linge of it friotion tongue ore disposed. The mein hotly of the friction tongue or broke member 3l "'poeeil between the coils of the flexible nig or henri ll, and by reason ot he feet that Vthe e'itl i 't ie tongue is rigidly oonnootzl l cl with the easing," in the ilitling movement of the et to the tongue results in 'een wl'iioh tends to reta-rel the lielting. This tongue e Strip of bronze or other toe proper tliineoeions le. lie elio i in Figure ijJ entl of this tongne is Con- Since when the om" not-ioctl, tlg,

on, loo to the eoinbinecl resisting lotion 'll and the friction tongue 85,

the reboi ncl, which is the llilhen the er ioaehee the inl the belt "will ele ken :soll

tf oo 'irietlon 'tongue will be iw it this instant e tenfleno;7 'toi' el i ziofhioeilin the belt existe, but th` no)y is; removed by the notion oi' the Spring ll 'which removes ell. sleek :intl koopt lv 'i 'pnt nel iewiritls the Sonie es the ee iti; nerim/l position with reepeot than: the position shot-sii f ,l the su toe oi the 'Yrietion tongue C1 1g holes :te Lei-ini, e! certain portion no eurfnoe to be in contri :t normally with non that by adjusting; vthe lie/:ttl oli' rlp .in Vmother "pair oi' holee, z

iiiiiouot of the Huilnee tliei'oot j placed in eontztetlvitlrtlio ie riotion the robe-tw en een be y served that l have ptovilleaf l, nolo, compnet apparatus for z orliingg ebooks; on automobile botliee wherein :i tofible hand is need @intl menne are provid it for maintaining this bend iunior n. orto at all times to keep it te il., simple :intl readily e l- 'jetable nivo, ifi; provided lor Greeting o 'imam ri ln-1" or(e when the belt i: sig unwoi 'e rzb muil prov i (l i1 l i Yin m in iiniun tension x ot the ear. neteble Yfriction menno 4tion oi the 'friction oei By providingv e spring, KJioiiecl, the belt when released i ot the ire/lie member or iriction dev instantly pleoecl under e' definite teneion by the spring and rewonnd on omer enfl the hotly portion eX- l re, that the greatest braking o strip is; znljustell insee per Cil the drum as the car returns to normal position. It will, of course, be understood that minor modifications may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention. v

What I desire to claim is:

l. A shock absorber comprising a casing adapted to be applied to the body of an automobile, a coiled band within said casing, one end of said band adapted to be attached to the chassis of the automobile, resilient means within the casing and connected to said band to apply constant tension thereto as the body and the chassis move relative to each other, and a metallic friction strip disposed between and along adjacent convolutions of said band, said strip fastened at one end rigidly to said casing, the other end of said strip being free whereby friction is produced between the strip and the convolutions of the band when the band moves in one direction sitliprespect to the casingu 2. A shock absorber comprising a casing adapted to be applied to the body of an automobile, a coiled band. within said casing, one end of said band adapted to be attached to the chassis of the automobile, resilient means Within the casing and connected to said band to apply constant tension thereto as the body and the chassis move relative to each other, a cover for said casing, said casing and said cover each having a series of spaced slots disposed therein in a line corresponding to the circumference of a circle of a definite diameter, a metallic friction strip disposed within the casing between and along adjacent convolutions of said band which lie on the circumference and the radius of. which approximates the radius of the above-mentioned series of holes, and a head on the end of said strip having outwardly projecting lugs which are adapted to project into any desired pair of holes of said series, whereby the one end of the strip can be adjustably fastened to the cover and casing, leaving the other end of the strip free to produce the desired amount of friction between the strip and the belting when the belting moves in one direction with respect to the casing.

3. A shock absorber comprising a casing, a coiled friction belt-ing disposed therein, a friction strip disposed between and along adjacent convolutions of said belting, a certain portion of the length of said strip adapted normally to contact with the convolutions of the belting, means for fastening one end of said strip to said casing, the other end of said strip being free and lying along between adjacent convolutions of the belting and means for adjusting the position of the engagement of the fixed end of said strip with said casing whereby the area of contact of the strip with the convolutions of the belting can be varied to vary the friction therebetween when the belting moves in a given direction.

DENNIS B. D. BLAKE. 

